Comments

Duck is right. The decision we made to go with the scrappy lefty from Logan was
fantastic.

StGtoSLCSALT LAKE CITY, UT

March 28, 2014 6:50 p.m.

Duckhunter, "In reality" the records show differently. However validated
you may feel in your opinion, it is still just that: your opinion. Your
prognostications on what a team's record "would have" been if they
played different teams is as hypothetical and unfounded as the one who said the
following:

"But I think it's going to be rough sledding in
2013/14. There is nobody in the pipeline to replace the stats of Washburn and
Dubois. And there's no top tier talent to support Loveridge. Loveridge will
be a one man show. But with all the young recruits, this could be the start of
rebuilding, U've been referring to the last two years."

Regarding both football and basketball: 5 and 7 months before their seasons
start is too early for anyone to know anything about how a team will do the next
season. To CFiT's credit, he actually comes back and acknowledges when his
predictions are off, which separates him from a lot of other fans, which makes
classy, civil rivalry jesting with him possible.

U 90Corona, CA

March 28, 2014 6:43 p.m.

Duckhunter,

Despite all the BYU "fan" talk about Utah's
weak schedule this year, the Utes actually finished with a 69 SOS vs. BYU's
63.

What we didn't hear you and the other Y "fans" last
year was that BYU's SOS was 111 while Utah's was 41.

U 90Corona, CA

March 28, 2014 6:36 p.m.

Duckhunter,

Utah's Sagarin rating improved from 116 to 47. BPI
improved from 111 to 37. RPI improvement was 159 to 82.

DuckhunterHighland, UT

March 28, 2014 4:14 p.m.

@stg

I agree that utah improved, but I think utah "fans" put
to much credence into the win total when the truth is the win total is really
far less than the actual number. yes they won those games but they were against
the absolutely worst teams that college basketball has to offer, they just
don't count for anything. In reality utah was about a 10 win team this
year, and a 10 loss team. If they had played a half decent OOC schedule they
might have gone .500 in those games and that still would have made them at best
a .500 team, I'd say it is likely they would have been sub .500.

Yes you can look and say they are getting better but they are a long way from
being good or NCAA worthy which is the standard for judging "good". That
win total this year is a sham.

DuckhunterHighland, UT

March 28, 2014 4:10 p.m.

@silent lurker

utah just beat BYU for the first time in 8 tries and
only the second time in 14 tries. That is hardly 4 in a row or "own"ing
BYU. In fact the opposite is far closer to the truth. lol

Max-was-rightspringville, UT

March 28, 2014 12:54 p.m.

All these great QB's and no bowl game for them to play in. Whitt is gone
after three straight years of no bowling.

Wonder if Dr. Hill will
hire BJ back as the head coach?

Silent LurkerCottonwood Heights, UT

March 28, 2014 11:55 a.m.

@ Vet It is quite possible that the coaching staff is using Schulz to push
Manning (Ala competition wise). I agree beyond a doubt Manning is the best pure
passer. He is athletic enough to make defenses respect his ability to move the
pocket around.Remember he is only a red shirt freshman and will need some
seasoning in DC's offense. He also makes the best reads including
Wilson.

@ Ducky and CougfanSay what you want about Utah's
win loss record but remember that they own your cougs. Four in a row and three
to go--start living with that reality.

StGtoSLCSALT LAKE CITY, UT

March 28, 2014 11:22 a.m.

Duckhunter, did I say anything about the nonconference games? Those were all
games they were expected to win, and did (although last year they lost to
several of those types of teams in nonconference, so yes, that is still
improvement over last year). But no, the nonconference didn't show much of
anything to base the team's talent level from, but the conference schedule
did. And it wasn't "maybe 2 wins" improvement, it was a 4 win
improvement in the regular season, when almost the entire conference was better
this year than last year. The loss to Zona in Vegas was embarrassing, by far
their worst performance of the season, but it was also against one of the top 4
teams in the country. Last season the team had 10 losses to non-NCAA tournament
teams, this year 4, and the strength of schedules were pretty similar. I never
called the team world-beaters in any sense, but it's obvious to anyone else
who saw the team last year and this year how much improved they are.

DuckhunterHighland, UT

March 28, 2014 10:42 a.m.

@stg and u90

Not to be argumentative but are you guys trying to claim
utah had more than 10 legit wins in basketball this season? Other than the 9
pac12 wins, some of which wheren't all that great of wins themselves (see
washington state), and the BYU win which of those wins really count as an
indicator that utah is improved all that much?

By my count utah
legitimately improved by maybe 2 wins over the previous season, yes that is
technically "improvement" but is it really all that much? Remember they
actually were worse at the end of this season than last season when they
actually made a small run in the pac12 tourney, this year they got drummed out
of it in humiliating fashion.

Those home wins over the worst teams
in college basketball do not count for anything, they do not indicate anything,
they have no meaning. It seems to me utah "fans" are looking at the win
total and ignoring who most of the wins were against.

WookieOmaha, NE

March 28, 2014 10:36 a.m.

Duckhunter, we don't always agree, but your comment today is spot on.

Go UTES!Go Cougs!

U 90Corona, CA

March 28, 2014 10:20 a.m.

CFIT,

I'm glad you are predicting regression for the Utes
because there has been a huge gap between your past prognostications and
reality. Remember the time you said Utah's basketball team would regress
in Coach LK's 3rd year after the loss of Washburn & DuBois? I'll
dig up your old posts if you want me to. Just let me know.

Whatever
you do, please continue to predict gloom and doom for Utah. It seems to be our
good luck charm.

StGtoSLCSALT LAKE CITY, UT

March 28, 2014 10:02 a.m.

CFiT, you also saw nothing in the basketball team's recruiting, coaching or
depth chart that led you to believe they'd reach 2013's 5-13
conference record. I'm content to let the team develop and play games
before I judge them.

CougFaninTXFrisco, TX

March 28, 2014 9:38 a.m.

Nothing about recruiting, coaching or depth chart leads me to believe that 2014
will be any better than 2013.

I don't argue that the Utes have
a tough schedule, one that they are not up to. Looks like another 5-7 season at
best. Although I'm predicting 4-8.

DuckhunterHighland, UT

March 28, 2014 8:45 a.m.

Well it isn't like the utah coaching staff is noted for making very good
decisions with the QB position.

Naval VetPhiladelphia, PA

March 28, 2014 8:22 a.m.

U 90:

I'm surprised as well. I thought that the battle for
#2/#3 would be a Manning/Cox showdown; not a Manning/Schulz one. And especially
considering the type of Offense Christensen is trying to run. I believe that
Manning will prove to be our best "pure passer", but Christensen's
system would favor a more mobile QB -- ala Cox and eventual OU-transfer
Thompson. I really didn't see Schulz doing much more than holding a
clipboard.

U 90Corona, CA

March 27, 2014 11:06 p.m.

Interesting that the coaching staff is sinking the majority of the reps in to a
QB who's future is still uncertain and a final decision won't be made
on him until June. Perhaps the staff knows more than they are leading on
regarding Travis being cleared for fall camp.

If Schulz is still
locked in a battle for the #2 spot, I'm worried about the QB position.
Surprises me that both Manning and Cox haven't surpassed him by now.